Essential Biology Chapter 6 Vocabulary

Front 1

Photosynthesis

Back 1

The process by which plants, algae, and some bacteria transform light energy to chemical energy stored in the bonds of sugars. This process requires an input of carbon dioxide(CO2) and water (H2O) and produces oxygen gas (O2) as a waste product.

Front 2

Heterotrophs

Back 2

An organism that cannot make its own organic food molecules from inorganic ingredients and must obtain them by consuming other organisms or their organic products; a consumer or a decomposer in a food chain.

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Producers

Back 3

An organism that makes organic food molecules from carbon dioxide, water, and other inorganic raw materials: a plant, alga, or autotrophic bacterium; the trophic level that supports all others in a food chain or food web.

Front 4

Autotrophs

Back 4

An organism that makes its own food from inorganic ingredients, thereby sustaining itself without eating other organisms or their molecules. Plants, algae, and photosynthetic bacteria are autotrophs.

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Consumers

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An organism that obtains its food by eating plants or by eating animals that have eaten plants.

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Aerobic

Back 6

Containing or requiring molecular oxygen (O2).

Front 7

Cellular Respiration

Back 7

The aerobic harvesting of energy from food molecules; the energy releasing chemical breakdown of food molecules, such as glucose, and the storage of potential energy in a form that cells can use to perform work; involves glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, the electron transport chain, and chemiosmosis.

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Redox Reactions

Back 8

Short for reduction-oxidation reaction; a chemical reaction in which electrons are lost from one substance (oxidation) and added to another (reduction). Oxidation and reduction always occur together.

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Oxidation

Back 9

The loss of electrons from a substance involved in a redox reaction, always accompanies reduction.

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Reduction

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The gain of electrons by a substance involved in a redox reaction; always accompanies oxidation.

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NADH

Back 11

An electron carrier (a molecule that carries electrons) involved in cellular respiration and photosynthesis. NADH carries electrons from glucose and other fuel molecules and deposits them at the top of an electron transport chain. NADH is generated during glycolysis and the citric acid cycle.

Front 12

Electron Transport Chain

Back 12

A series of electron carrier molecules that shuttle electrons during the redox reactions that release energy used to make ATP; located in the inner membrane of mitochondria, the thylakoid membrane of chloroplasts, and the plasma membrane of prokaryotes.

Front 13

Glycolysis

Back 13

The multistep chemical breakdown of a molecule of glucose into two molecules of pyretic acid; the first stage of cellular respiration in all organisms; occurs in the cytoplasmic fluid.

Front 14

Citric Acid Cycle

Back 14

The metabolic cycle that is fueled by acetyl CoA formed after glycolysis in cellular respiration. Chemical reactions in the cycle complete the metabolic breakdown of glucose molecules to carbon dioxide. The cycle occurs in the matrix of mitochondria and supplies most of the NADH molecules that carry energy to the electron transport chains. Also referred to as the Krebs cycle.

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Electron Transport

Back 15

A redox (oxidation-reduction) reaction in which one or more electrons are transferred to carrier molecules. A series of such reactions, called an electron transport chain, can release the energy stored in high-energy molecules such as glucose.

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ATP Synthase

Back 16

A protein cluster, found in a cellular membrane (including the inner membrane of mitochondria, the thylakoid membrane of chloroplasts, and the plasma membrane of prokaryotes), that uses the energy of a hydrogen ion concentration gradient to make ATP from ADP. An ATP synthase provides a port through which hydrogen ions (h+) diffuse.

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Anaerobic

Back 17

Lacking or not requiring molecular oxygen (O2).

Front 18

Fermentation

Back 18

The anaerobic harvest of food by some cells.